Kremlin confirms contact with Yerevan over Karapetyan case

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow is in contact with Yerevan, including over the case of businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who has been detained for two months.

“Yes, of course. We are in contact with our colleagues in Armenia, in Yerevan... Naturally, since Karapetyan is a citizen of the Russian Federation, the appropriate channels of communication are being maintained,” Peskov told reporters, according to RIA Novosti.

Responding to a question about the alleged coup plot in Armenia, Peskov emphasized that the situation in the country is an internal matter. He added that Russia wants Armenia to be a prosperous and friendly state.

“This is undoubtedly Armenia’s internal affair. We are, of course, interested in seeing legality and calm preserved in Armenia. And we want Armenia to be a prosperous and friendly country,” he stated.

On the night of June 18, businessman Samvel Karapetyan left his Yerevan residence with law enforcement. He was later revealed to be under questioning at the Investigative Committee and was detained for two months that evening, charged with making a public call to usurp the powers of the Armenian government.

A few hours earlier, Karapetyan had issued a statement supporting the Armenian Apostolic Church: “I am with our Church, with our people. No matter how hard they try to discredit it, no power network... I don’t care about them or their electric grid. Everything will be fine. The people will speak, and they will understand their mistake.”

In response, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan posted: “Why have the immoral ‘clergymen’ and their immoral ‘benefactors’ become active? No worries — we will silence them again. Permanently.” He later added that the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) should be nationalized swiftly.